Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with improved cardiac autonomic function among middle-aged men: a twin study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Reduced heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of cardiac autonomic dysfunction, is a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Diet can influence HRV, but this association may be confounded by genetic and environmental factors.

Methods and results

We administered the Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire to 276 middle-aged male twins. We derived a score measuring the extent to which an individual's diet conformed to the Mediterranean diet following a published algorithm. The higher the score, the greater the similarity to the Mediterranean diet. All twins underwent 24-hour ambulatory ECG recording. Time and frequency domain measures of HRV were calculated. Mixed-effects regression was used to partition the association into between- and within-twin pair differences

SUBMITTER: Dai J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3645294 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature